Matrix for line-casting machines.



J. L. ROUSSEAU.

MATRIX FOR LINE CASTING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16. 1915.

mm ,QMID Patented July 3, 1917.

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JOSEPH LEE :aOUssEAU; or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR ro MERGENTHALER LINQTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

MATRIXFQR LINE-CASTING MAoH Es.

Patented July 3, 1917.

. 7 Application filed September 16, 1915. Serial No. 50,945.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ,Josnrrr Lnn Rous- SEAU, a citizen of'the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Matrices for Line;Casting Machines, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to matrices, such as are used in the commercial linotype machine, consisting of rectangular plates containing in their edgesintaglio characters or matrices proper, from which the type characters are produced. More particularly,'it relates to matrices equipped w ithtwo or more characters arranged one above another, any selected one of which may be brought into action by the longitudinal adjustment. of the matrices, or by supporting them at different levels in the composed line.

In the manufacture of matrices, it is the practiceto rout out a portion of their operative edges, or more specifically, to out transverse notches or recesses therein and then to punch the matrix characters in the bottoms of such notches. It necessarily follows that in the case of the plural-character matrices, the notches will approach nearer and nearer to each other as the heightor size of the characters they are to contain is increased. In some instances it has been found that, due to the great height of the characters, the notches in ad joining matrices will even overlap each other, that is, an upper notch in one matrix will extend, past and communicate with a lower notch in an adjacent one, thus permitting a squirt. This is particularly true in the case of matrices whose characters have accents or descenders, which require notches of considerable width.

It is the purpose of my-present invention to avoid the above objection, and to this end I propose to produce certain of the matrices, especially those having the accents, so that their notches will be partially closed at opposite sides by the side walls of the matrices, thus shutting off com munic'ation between the notches and those of other matrices. The extent of the inclosure will, of course, depend upon the partlcular matrix characters contained in the notches and also upon the thickness of the walls which separate the superposed notches of other matrices, the only requirement in this respect being that the inclosing walls should be sufiicient to prevent communication between the upper and lower notches of adjoining matrices irrespective of the height of the characters they contain.

.Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective of two matrix blanks as they appear before and after punching, under the old practice;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of two matrix blanks as they appear before and after punching, under the practice followed in carrying .out my present invention;

Fig. 3 illustrates matrices of the old form assembled in line, illustrating the possibility of a squirt;

, Fig. 4 shows my improved matrix assembled in line with other matrices;

Fig. 5 is a similar view with the matrix in its upper or auxiliary position; and

Fig. 6 illustrates the difference between the separating walls of the-old and new forms of matrices.

The two blanks A and B shown in Fig. 1 are of the usual form, the former being provided in its front or operative edge with the two plain notches A extending entirely therethrough from one side to the other and separated by an intermediate wall A of uniform thickness, and the latter being provided with two corresponding notches B containing in their bottom formative cavities or matrix characters 13 of different design or font and separated by the straight intermediate wall B The blank A was produced from the blank C shown in Fig. 2 by the routing process before referred to, and the blank B was produced from the blank A by the subse' quent punching operation also referred to.

In Fig. 8, the matrix B, in its finished form, is shown assembled in line with matrices X, each having two superposed notches X containing characters X and separated by intermediate walls X and it will be seen that the upper notch of the matrix B is so deep as to extend past the separating wall X of the adjoining matrix X and communicate with the lower notch thereof. When the two notches thus communicate, there is nothing left to dam the flow of the molten metal when it is forced up against the matrix line, so that a squirt will result with the bad effects known. The char acters l3 and X of the adjoining matrices B and X are, for purposes of illustration, shown as of the accented and descender variety, respectively.

The present invention is designed to over come the above objection and aims to produce the matrices with the same size of characters as before but with side walls which will inclose enough of the notches containing the characters to prevent their communication with the notches of other matrices. This result may be accomplished by punching the matrix character into the plain edge of the matrix blank C shown in Fig. 2, and then, as in the case of an ac cented capital E, the illustration above given, routing out the matrix body only to the top of the letter or down to its accent, thus leaving the latter surrounded on opposite sides by the side walls of the matrix body. Fig. 2 illustrates a blank D constructed in accordance with this method, containing in its front or operative edge two notches D having the accented matrix characters B and separated by an intermediate wall D It will be noted that the upper face of the wall D instead of being plain or straight as before, is undercut below the accent of the character B presenting upstanding walls D inclosing the accent at opposite sides and which consequently inclose the upper notch to a corresponding extent. In Fig. 4:, the matrix D is shown assembled in line with the matrices X, and it will be noted that, due to the presence of the side walls D or the increased thickness of the intermediate wall D there can .be no communication between its upper notch D and the lower notch X of the adjoining matrix, and consequently no liability to a squirt. As shown in Fig. 5, the walls D perform the same function when the matrix is assembled in its upper or auxiliary position, that is, they prevent any communication between the upper notch of the matrix D and the upper notch of the adjoining matrix X.

This construction not only provides fo the partial inclosure of the upper notch D but alSO enables the intermediate wall D to be thicker, since the preliminary routing is dispensed with and the amount of clearance for the punch, which would otherwise be necessary, is obviated. Fig. 6 fur nishes a good comparison in this respect, the full lines showing the thickness of the intermediate wall of the old form, and the dotted lines showing the thickness of the intermediatewall of the new form.

It will be noted that the lower notch in the matrix D has no surrounding walls for its accent. They have been found to be un- I necessary in practice, but could be provided in the same manner as above described, if that were desirableor necessary.

It will be understood that my present invention is directed to the particular form of matrix above discussed and is not to be limited or confined in any way to the method employed in producing it. The modeof procedure above outlined has been mentioned merely by way of exampleand pref erence, and there may be' other methods which could be employed with like results. Furthermore, it will be understood that my invention is not limited in its application to matrices equipped with accented characters, nor to surrounding walls of the'exact form shown and described. Generally speaking, I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to any specific form or embodiment, except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, its

construction and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows: 1. A matrix provided in its front or operative edge with a routing notch containing at its bottom a formative cavity or character, the said routing notch being inclosed in part by a side wall of the matrix body, and the said side wall being flush with the front or operative edge of the matrix. 2. A matrix provided in its front or operative edge with a routing notch containing at its bottom a formative cavity or character, the said routing notch being inclosed in part by opposite side Walls of the matrix body,

and the said side walls being flush with the front or operative edge of the matrix.

3. A matrix provided in its front oropcrative edge with two notches or recesses located one above the other and separated by an intermediate wall,.the said wall being undercut in one of its faces so as to leave projecting walls partly inclosing one of the notchesat opposite sides. 7

4. A m'atrix provided in its front or operative edge with a routing notch or recess containing a formative cavity for an accented character in itsbottom, the side walls of the matrix body inclosing only the part of therouting notch containing the accent.

5. A matrix provided in its front or operative edge with two notches or recesses one located above anotherand separated by an intermediate wall, the upper notch contain ing an accented character and the intermediate Wall being undercut below the accent so as to leave projecting Walls which inclose the accent at opposite sides. I

6. A matrix provided in its front or 0perative edge With two routing notches or recesses located one above the other and each containing at its bottom a formative cavity or character, one of said routing notches being inclosed in part by the opposite side Walls of the matrix body.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature.

JOSEPH LEE ROUSSEAU.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by'addressing' the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

